These 2-Ingredient homemade fruit roll-ups are all-natural, fun, delicious, and a tasty fruit snack and lunchbox treat made using an oven or dehydrator with no added sugar necessary!
As someone who rarely finds a moment to sit still, I love having healthy snacks that I can just grab and go when needed, like fruit and nut bars, turmeric energy balls, and these healthy homemade fruit roll-ups/fruit leather strips.
These homemade fruit roll-ups require just 2 ingredients – blended fruit and lemon juice (3 if you want to add a little sweetener). The ingredients are mixed, spread across a tray, and then dehydrated in an oven or dehydrator until dry, flexible, and delicious.
And, unlike store-bought versions of fruit roll-ups or fruit gummies, these healthy fruit roll-ups are free from dyes, chemicals, refined sugars, and more additives. Instead, it’s JUST fruit. You can’t get more natural than that!
Even better, learning how to make fruit roll ups at home will help save you money, AND it’s super versatile too. I mean, did you know you can make almost any fruit into fruit leather?
Not just that, but you can combine fruits too and discover unique flavor combinations with each batch. How about strawberry peach fruit leather, almond cherry, or strawberry rhubarb? The sky is the limit when making these healthy fruit roll-ups!
Want more ways to enjoy fruits? I love getting in fruits with my morning smoothies. As we inch towards summer, you might also enjoy this homemade watermelon shaved ice or grilled peach salad.
Table of contents
Is Fruit Leather The Same As Fruit Roll Ups?
Yes and no. Fruit leather and the fruit roll up thing both use similar ingredients and methods to prepare. However, fruit leather is cut down into small pieces rather than rolled, which means it is often thicker.
You can use the method below to make dehydrated fruit leather or homemade fruit roll-ups. Simply start with a thicker layer of fruit puree to start the dehydration process when making the leather vs a thin layer for the natural fruit roll-ups.
Homemade Fruit Roll-Up Ingredients
- Fruit puree: There are several types of homemade fruit leather you could make:
- Strawberries
- Mango
- Blueberries
- Raspberries, blackberries, and other berries
- Apricot
- Apple (use applesauce)
- Kiwi
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Plum
- Rhubarb, etc.
You can use fresh or frozen fruit but make sure to thaw it first. Also, note that certain fruits, like bananas, will discolor and turn an odd brown color. For that reason, I like to mix them with other fruits but don’t often use them alone.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the best results. This will help the natural fruit roll up maintain the bright fruit color.
- Sweetener: (Optional) Only add enough to reach your desired sweetness. Use your favorite liquid sweetener – maple syrup, honey, agave, etc. Use a sugar-free syrup, if preferred, or unsweetened applesauce to naturally sweeten it.
I don’t recommend using granulated sugar in this fruit leather recipe, as it won’t dissolve properly into the puree (unless it’s heated to dissolve it).
How to Make Fruit Roll Ups?
I decided to make homemade strawberry roll-ups and mango fruit roll-ups this time, but the below process will work with any of the fruits previously listed.
Step 1: Prepare the Fruit
First, blend your fruit of choice into a puree using a blender or food processor until smooth.
If you want to make multi-fruit homemade fruit leather/ roll ups, blend the fruits separately and combine them half and half on the tray before dehydrating/oven baking them.
Then, add the lemon juice and optionally any liquid sweetener to taste.
Spread 1 cup of the fruit mixture across a large Silpat or parchment-lined baking tray (don’t use wax paper) or dehydrator tray in a thin layer of around 1/8 inch (0.3cm). You can tilt the tray and/or use an offset spatula to help spread it in an even layer across the tray.
Top Tips For This Step
- Make it into as much of a rectangle shape, rather than rounded, if you want more even DIY fruit roll-ups when cutting them. However, this isn’t necessary. I used regular rimmed baking sheets and spread about a cup of fruit puree per sheet.
- Note that a Silpat sheet (silicone baking mat) works best as parchment paper will slightly absorb some of the moisture in the fruit and crumple up slightly, making the homemade fruit leather/roll-ups uneven in places, too.
- You can make the puree thicker, closer to ¼-inch thickness, but that’s best for thicker pieces of homemade fruit leather, not for roll-ups. Just note that the thicker the puree, the longer the time to dehydrate.
- Note that your dehydrator may have come with a fruit leather tray (a tray with a rim for liquidy foods).
Step 2: Dehydrate the Fruit
Oven Fruit Leather: The aim here is to set your oven temperature as low as it can. 135-150ºF/57-65ºC is ideal, though up to 170-180ºF/77-82ºC will work too. Avoid any temperatures above 200ºF/95ºC, though.
The time will vary based on the temperature and how thick your fruit puree is on the tray. As a general guideline, expect it to take between 8-12 hours at 140ºF, 5-8 hours at 150ºF, and 3-5 hours at 170ºF.
If the oven doesn’t go low enough, prop the end of a wooden spoon in the door to keep it slightly open.
Dehydrator Fruit Leather: Set your food dehydrator to 140F/60C and allow it to dry for between 7-12 hours until it’s dry.
How do you know when it’s ready? It should look and feel dry (or very subtly tacky but not sticky) and it should be pliable. Make sure not to dry/cook the DIY fruit roll-ups for too long otherwise, they will become crispy/ won’t roll.
Step 3: Cut or Roll the Homemade Fruit Leather
First, allow the dehydrated fruit leather to cool completely to room temperature. Then, use scissors, a pizza cutter, or a knife to cut into strips or squares.
Alternatively, to make the DIY fruit roll-ups, cut the fruit into 1-inch strips and then roll them (fruit on the outside) while still connected to the parchment paper. If you dehydrate them on Silpat, peel them away from the sheet first and place them on parchment paper/wax paper before rolling.
Enjoy your tasty, healthy fruit roll up!
As well as enjoying these fruit roll-ups as a snack, you can also use the homemade fruit leather as a nori alternative to make dessert sushi!
How to Store Homemade Fruit Roll Ups
Store: Store the homemade fruit roll-ups in a paper towel-lined airtight container in a cool, dark, dry location for around 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for 1-2 months (it may last longer, but I’ve never tried).
Freeze: Place the DIY fruit roll-ups/leather in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziplock and store for up to a year!
FAQs
Yes, most store-bought and homemade fruit roll ups are vegetarian and vegan friendly and naturally gluten-free.
The biggest brands of roll-ups combine fruit juices and puree with glucose syrup, maltodextrin, sugar, palm oil, emulsifiers, flavorings, colors, etc.
In comparison, these homemade fruit roll ups contain just 2-3 all-natural ingredients for a guilt-free healthy fruit snack.
Not necessarily, since you’ll be blending it up into a puree. I often keep the peel on and take advantage of the extra fiber.
Not necessarily. Some people prefer to cook the fruit puree into a jammy consistency first to kill any bacteria, keep the colors bright, and intensify the fruit flavor. However, I’ve tried the results with and without this step and prefer not to use the extra heat on the fruits when possible (which means more nutrients are saved)!
Although I haven’t actually tried, yes, that should work. Drain the liquid, puree the fruit and continue with the roll-ups/fruit leather recipe.
The lowest you can go is best. In a dehydrator, the ideal temperature is 135ºF (57ºC), and you want to get as close to that with your oven. For many, the oven will usually go down to 150-170ºF (65-77ºC).
Don’t use temperatures above 200ºF (95ºC), and note that the temperature will affect the time it takes to dehydrate fruit leather/roll-ups in the oven.
More Dehydrator Recipes
- Dehydrated strawberry slices
- Dehydrated apple slices
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- How to dry mushrooms
- How to make chili flakes
- Homemade black garlic
- How to make garlic flakes
- Dried garlic powder
If you try this homemade fruit roll-ups/fruit leather recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Homemade Fruit Roll Ups (Fruit Leather)
Ingredients
For strawberry
- 1.1 lb strawberries 3 cups chopped
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoon honey optional; sweeten to taste; any liquid sweetener will work – maple syrup, agave, or even a sugar-free syrup
For mango
- 6.4 oz mango 1 cup
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey optional; sweeten to taste; any liquid sweetener will work – maple syrup, agave, or even a sugar-free syrup
Or use the fruit of your choice: blueberries, raspberries, apricots, kiwi, peach, pineapple, plum, etc. Or use a combination of fruit that you like.
Suggested Equipment
- Dehydrator or oven
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Fruit
- Blend your fruit of choice into a puree using a blender or food processor until smooth.If you want to make multi-fruit homemade fruit leather, blend the fruits separately and combine them half and half on the tray before dehydrating them.
- Add the lemon juice and optionally any liquid sweetener to taste.
- Spread 1 cup of the fruit puree across a large Silpat or parchment-lined baking tray (don't use wax paper) or dehydrator tray in a thin layer of around 1/8 inch (0.3cm). You can tilt the tray and/or use an offset spatula to help spread it in an even layer across the tray. Check the notes below for more tips!
Step 2: Dehydrate the Fruit
- Oven Fruit Leather: The aim here is to set your oven temperature as low as it can. 135-150ºF/57-65ºC is ideal, though up to 170-180ºF/77-82ºC will work too. Avoid any temperatures above 200ºF/95ºC, though.The time will vary based on the temperature and how thick your fruit puree is on the tray. As a general guideline, expect it to take between 8-12 hours at 140ºF, 5-8 hours at 150ºF, and 3-5 hours at 170ºF.If the oven doesn't go low enough, prop the end of a wooden spoon in the door to keep it slightly open.
- Dehydrator Fruit Leather: Set your food dehydrator to 135ºF/57ºC and allow it to dry for between 6-10 hours until it's dry.
- How do you know when it’s ready? It should look and feel dry (or very subtly tacky but not sticky) and it should be pliable. Make sure not to dry/cook the roll-ups for too long otherwise, they will become crispy/won’t roll.
Step 3: Cut or Roll the Homemade Fruit Leather
- Allow the dehydrated fruit leather to cool. Then, use scissors, a pizza cutter, or a knife to chop it into small pieces.Alternatively, to make the DIY fruit roll-ups, cut the fruit into 1-inch strips and then roll them while still connected to the parchment paper. If you dehydrate them on Silpat, peel them away from the sheet first and place them on parchment paper/wax paper before rolling.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Store the homemade fruit roll-ups in a paper towel-lined airtight container in a cool, dark, dry location for around 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for 1-2 months (it may last longer, but I've never tried).Freeze: Place the DIY fruit roll-ups/leather in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziplock and store for up to a year!
Notes
- Make it into as much of a rectangle shape, rather than rounded, if you want more even DIY fruit roll ups when cutting later. However, this isn’t necessary. I used regular rimmed baking sheets and spread about a cup of fruit puree per sheet.
- Note that a Silpat sheet (silicone mat) works best as parchment paper will slightly absorb some of the moisture in the fruit and crumple up slightly, making the homemade fruit leather/roll-ups uneven in places, too.
- You can make the puree thicker, closer to ¼-inch thickness, but that’s best for thicker pieces of homemade fruit leather, not for roll-ups. Just note that the thicker the puree, the longer the time it takes to dehydrate.
- Note that your dehydrator may have come with a fruit leather tray (a tray with a rim for liquidy foods).
- For seed-free fruit leather: Pass your fruit puree through a fine-mesh sieve or nut milk bag onto the parchment-lined tray.
- Don’t spread it too thin: The water will evaporate from the fruit puree as it dehydrates and become thinner. I recommend aiming for around 1/8-inch thick but ensuring there are no “holes”/parts where you can see the sheet beneath.
- The dehydrating time will vary: Whether you use an oven or dehydrator, the time can vary based on the exact liquid content in your puree, the humidity, your exact model of oven/dehydrator, etc. So keep an eye on it until it’s slightly tacky.
- Multi-fruit leather: You can blend multiple fruits together for interesting flavors (i.e., mango and strawberry or strawberry and raspberry) or puree the fruit separately and then spread it half and half on a tray, so each roll-up is two flavors.
- If the edges are too dry: This is more of an issue when making oven fruit leather (but it shouldn’t happen if you leave a border on your tray). However, there’s an easy fix. Just rub a little water into the edges to help rehydrate them slightly.
- Yield: Use around 3 cups of fruit per baking sheet (one cup pureed fruit per 13×18 inch sheet).
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